West Bengal's Legendary Jalbhara Sweet Secures Geographical Indication Status

1. Who has taken charge as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in July 2026?

Explanation: Rear Admiral (Retd.) C. Raghuram has assumed charge as the new CMD of HSL, succeeding Captain Ganti Venkateswarlu who held the additional charge since January 2026.

2. The famous 'Jalbhara Sweet', which recently received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, is traditionally associated with which state?

Explanation: The Jalbhara Sweet, also known as Jalbhora Sandesh, originates from Chandannagar in the Hooghly district of West Bengal and has been awarded the prestigious GI tag.

3. What is the main objective of the newly proposed Rs 190 crore 'SAMARTH' hub to be established at IIT Gandhinagar?

Explanation: The SAMARTH hub at IIT Gandhinagar aims to build a semiconductor research and training infrastructure to upskill and train more than 10,000 people, including students, professionals, and faculty.

4. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the merchandise export data for FY 2025-26? I. Tamil Nadu emerged as India's fastest-growing merchandise exporting state. II. Jamnagar in Gujarat remained the largest exporting district in India. III. Kanchipuram district in Tamil Nadu emerged as the third-largest merchandise exporting district.

Explanation: Statements I and II are correct. Tamil Nadu is the fastest-growing exporter with US$59.3 billion, and Jamnagar remains the largest exporting district. However, Kanchipuram emerged as the second-largest (not third-largest) exporting district in the country.

5. According to the MoSPI report 'Labour Market Dynamics in Million-plus Cities' (Jan-Dec 2025), which two cities recorded the highest unemployment rates exceeding 20%?

Explanation: Prayagraj and Patna recorded the highest unemployment rates in the country among million-plus cities, both exceeding 20%, according to the MoSPI report.